Device to exercise the stick handling for hockey player, stick handler

ABSTRACT

Invention to drive the handling of a hockey stick (the Stick Handling) by strengthening the hand&#39;s pronator and supinator muscles in order to improve the control, speed, strength and technique for handling a hockey puck. The exerciser primarily use is to isolate the pronation-supination movement so younger and older users, experts and beginners, professional and amateur are able to develop and identify the most accurate gesture to perform perfectly puck dribbling. The flexion-extension of the elbow is a common mistake among hockey players and can therefore be avoided. Thereafter, when the correct movement is well assimilated, the exerciser can be used to improve the movement quality, speed and/or strength.

Invention of a device aimed the training of the handling of the hockey stick (stick Handling) by strengthening pronator and supinator muscles of the hand, allowing the improvement of the control, the rapidity of execution, the strength and especially the good technique of handling a hockey puck. This device is meant to isolate the movement of the dribble of the puck by the hockey player, to strengthen it and refine it.

The movement of pronation-supination is hardly detectable and measurable by a coach's eye. This movement is short, fast and with high amplitude mainly contributing to the rapidity of the dribble as well as the shot in ice hockey. Usually, the education received the technique or the tool (device for exercise) that will use the hockey players for practising puck dribbling refer to a movement of flexion-extension of the arm which is a non-optimum technique in the practice of the dribble in ice hockey. The movement of flexion-extension is considered in terms of biomechanics as a coarse movement mainly used to generate brute force instead of performing a movement of great precision. Therefore, when a player makes a movement of flexion-extension of the arm in order to perform a dribble, he can hardly control the amplitude of the latter while generating a high speed, a essential quality to perform an efficient dribble. By contrast, a dribble by pronation-supination of the forearm allows to meet these requirements thus getting a dribble of quality well above.

The device is designed mainly to isolates the movement of pronation-supination allowing young and older, gifted or novice, professional or amateur to identify the exact gesture to perform for a puck dribble and refine it. Thus, the movement of flexion- extension of the elbow is avoided, a common mistake among the hockey players. Moreover, once the movement of pronation-supination is well assimilated, it allows the quality improvement of the dribble expressed by the increase of its rapidity of execution, of the force deployed or both simultaneously.

Once the movement is isolated, the device offers a variable resistance which allows targeting certain essential muscles for a dribble and strengthening them. To properly control the amplitude during the movement, a sound device warns the user and allows him to control precisely the degree of pronation-supination necessary to achieve the maximum amplitude according to the human biomechanics. More in details, a supination at 90 degree and a pronation at 85 degree both starting from the zero position respectively describe the maximum amplitude. When each position are reached, an audible as well as a light signal indicate simultaneously the user that the maximum amplitude is reached and immediately inform the exact moment to change the direction of the movement. The total amplitude of movement is 175 degree around a longitudinal axis.

Of course, the device distinguishes itself from other devices who work the flexor and extensor of the wrist which are of different muscles. It is noteworthy to mention that mostly of these muscles do not cross the wrist joint Therefore; they are rarely solicated during movement of flexion-extension of the wrist. However, they are extremely solicited during rotation of the radius on the cubitus since their origins and their inserts are located on these latter. Since they are very short, these latter contribute predominantly to the speed deployed during the dribble.

Few inventors have designed a device working on the techniques to use during a dribble. Moreover, these same techniques did not allow an effective training of a dribble since they do not involve the movement of pronation-supination. In addition, none has combined in a single device nowadays an apparatus used to assimilate the proper technique as well as to strengthen the solicited muscles during the motion. Even now, there is no such device that has a guiding system based on sound and visual warnings on the efficiency of the movement and a system of resistance. (CA 2642520)

Our invention combined all the elements above in an all-in-one device. It allows the user to learn the correct movement of the dribble, to strengthen the solicited muscles to this movement and to refine its accuracy.

The Device is Described in Tree Sections:

-   -   1—The upper part is a shaft which is similar to a hockey stick         by its shape and its size, adjustable in length to allow the         user to adopt the appropriate position depending on its size.         The upper part of the patent is showed especially by the drawing         (picture 1) with a side and over view.     -   2—The middle part consists of a cylindrical mechanism, fitted         with an adjustable screw as well as a brake system which         generates a continuous resistance and uniform in longitudinal         torsion of the shaft. This allows provided a resistance during         the pronation of the shaft as well for the supination. A device         allows the decreasing or increasing of the resistance depending         on the strength of the user and the effect sought by the latter.         A mechanism consisting of a steel rod passing through bearings         is found in the internal part of the cylinder. The rod also         passes through a metal wheel weld to the latter. This mechanism         therefore facilitates the rotation and provides increased         stability to the upper part of the device. Thus, when the shaft         of the upper part performs a rotation, the rod follows the         movement which drives the wheel by with it. The wheel's motion         is affected by the pressure of the brake on the latter. This         brake is pressing directly on the wheel and is modulated by a         screw outside the cylinder to adjust the pressure on the wheel         and thus change the resistance to the movement of rotation. To         be found inside of the cylinder, a device allowing emitting an         audible signal to two fixed positions in relation to an origin         when the rod reaches these two positions (rotation motion in         degree compared to an origin). This part has insertion adaptors         on the rod that allows assembling the upper and lower parts of         the device with the middle one. The special feature of this part         allows a rapid movement of rotation left-right while keeping a         constant resistance throughout the movement and this even when         changing direction of the movement of pronation-supination         carried out by the hands. The constancy of the resistance is a         key element of the invention and this at any given time of the         movement. The middle part of the patent is showed especially by         the drawing (picture 2) with an inside view.     -   3—The lower part contains a mounting element composed of one or         several suction nozzles, weighed, permanent mountings bolted or         any other serving as a point of support or anchor to the device.         It allows, being fixed, that both parts may turn with specific         resistance. It also includes a pin that allows immobilising or         not the pivot, up\down and left\right to increase the degree of         freedom of the movement. In addition, a 15 to 30 centimetres         stick which acts as a hockey stick by its shape and its size or         a result of the plastic cylinder of the middle part, is there.         The lower part of the patent is showed especially by the drawing         (picture 3) with a global and inside view.

DRAWINGS

Picture 1: Side and over view of the entire patent. You can see in this drawing, at the right, the upper part described in section 1. Two arrows is around the stick to show the rotation of the upper part. In the center you can see the mechanism of the patent describe at section 2. At the left you can see the lower part of the patent as describe in section 3.

Picture 2: Mechanism inside view. You can see in this drawing, the middle part of the patent describe in the section 2. All the pieces of the mechanism are identified by a number and described in the claims document.

Picture 3: Global and mechanism inside view. You can see in this drawing, at the right, the upper part described in section 1. In the center you can see the mechanism of the patent describe at section 2, all the pieces of the mechanism are identified by a number which are the same on picture 2. At the left you can see the lower part of the patent as describe in section 3.

Finally, each ice hockey players or others, whether professional or amateur could benefit from this device by training themselves with it, either to learn or to improve their performance. 

The claims of the invention, for which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed, are as follow:
 1. An exerciser device to develop the skills involved in the dribbling of a hockey puck: a. An upper part, which is an adjustable shaft, resembling a hockey stick, allowing the resting of one or both hands of the user. b. A middle part (5) consisting of a cylindrical mechanism made of plastic, graphite, aluminium, any kind of metal, ABS, PVC or any other suitable material, which comprise a unit that allows the control of the rotation movement of the upper longitudinal portion. c. A lower part, which is a

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shaped multi-surface fixation unit such as a vacuum, a press-fit, a permanent screwed fixation or any other fixed or mobile anchor that can serve as a backbone for the device or any other combination of devices.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device can control and maintain a constant and uniform resistance of the pronation and supination movement of the forearm on a total 160 degrees from right to left or left to right of the upper shaft.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device provides a constant and continuous resistance at any given time (1-9-13-14-15), i.e. the resistance never varies even when the direction of the movement is changed.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device can enhance the specific pronation and supination muscles used during a dribbling exercise.
 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein an acoustic electronic unit (1-6-7-10-11- 12) indicates the amplitude extent necessary to proper pronation and supination of the forearm on the upper shaft.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein a sound (10) is emitted by electronic contact, when the upper shaft is rotation and reaches the 80th degree clockwise from the zero position.
 7. A device according to claim 5, wherein a sound (10) is emitted by electronic contact, when the upper shaft is rotation and reaches the 80th degree counter clockwise from the zero position.
 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein a light electronic unit (1-6-7-8-12) indicates the amplitude extent necessary to proper pronation and supination of the forearm on the upper shaft.
 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein a light (8) is lit by electronic (7-12) contact (6-11), when the upper shaft is rotation and reaches the 80th degree clockwise from the zero position.
 10. A device according to claim 8, wherein a light (8) is lit by electronic (7-12) contact (6-11), when the upper shaft is rotation and reaches the 80th degree counter clockwise from the zero position.
 11. A device according to claims 6 and 9, wherein the sound (10) and light (8) indicators (6-7-11-12) are triggered simultaneously.
 12. A device according to claims 7 and 10, wherein the sound (10) and light (8) indicators (6-7-11-12) are triggered simultaneously.
 13. A device according to claim 1, wherein an electrical on and off switch (7) is battery (12) supplied.
 14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the main rod (1), made of metal or any other material, serves as a connecting unit between the upper (a) and middle (b) sections.
 15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the main rod (1), made of metal or any other material, is mounted into a wheel (9), made of metal or any other material, which is connected to a brake (15) that can modulate the resistance of the rotation movement.
 16. A device according to claim 14, wherein the main rod (1), made of metal or any other material, is mounted on bearings (2-18) to allow it to maintain its central position on the device.
 17. A device according to claim 16, wherein a split pin is inserted into the main rod (1) to correctly maintain the bearings (2-18) on the latter.
 18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device can control (13-14) a brake (15) system mounted on a wheel (9) for modulating (increasing or decreasing) the exerciser resistance during the pronation and supination movement of the forearm.
 19. A device according to claim 17, wherein brakes (15) are applied to the device inner wheel (9) for modulating (increasing or decreasing) the exerciser resistance.
 20. A device according to claim 17, wherein a screw (14) and an outer shaft (13) is used to modulate (increase or decrease) the pressure of the brakes (15) on the inner wheel (9), which leads to the modulation (increase or decrease) of the rotation resistance of the main rod (1).
 21. A device according to claim 1, wherein a unit, shape like a half-torus (20), is the backbone for the inner wheel (9) hence improving the fluidity of the rotation movement.
 22. A device according to claim 1, wherein a rod (11), made of metal or any other material and covered with an insulating sheath, is inserted perpendicularly into the main rod (1). This isolated rod (11) is connected to the negative terminal of the current (12).
 23. A device according to claims 11, 12 and 22, wherein a <V> shaped electrical terminal (6), made of metal or any other material, fixed inside the cylinder (5) and connected to the positive terminal (12), serves as a contact point to the isolated transverse rod (11). When both units are connected together, the current flow allows the activation of the sound and light system.
 24. A device according to claim 1, wherein a DC current electrical system in which the negative terminal is connected to the sound unit, which is connected to the light unit, which is connected to the switch (7) attached to the isolated transverse rod (11). The positive terminal (12) of the electrical system is connected to the <V> shaped electrical terminal (6) already inserted into the cylinder (5).
 25. A device according to claim 1, wherein a connector, fixed to the main rod (1), made of metal or any other material, serves as a connecting device between the upper (a) and middle (b) parts. This rectangular prism shaped connector must be able to receive a hockey stick shaft by press-fit or any other fixation procedure.
 26. A device according to claim 1, wherein a system of radio communication, transduction and reading to translate the force (resistance) deployed during the exercise.
 27. A device according to claim 1, wherein a system of radio communication, transduction and reading to translate the execution speed of the exercise.
 28. A device according to claim 1, wherein an application forwards the data collected during the exercise to a computer and/or a tablet and/or a smartphone. A database containing all the compiled data can be accessed in the form of a journal that follows the performances of the user and its progress. 